BASKETBALL Skills: What can be taught?

Easy to turn this into Rockets focused talk ...

Case Study - Yao's Emergence...

JVG and the rest of the coaching staff should continue to get credit for Yao's emergence. Development of Yao's low-post game and him becoming a beast down there they deserve alot of the credit. I'm happy to admit that I was skeptical of this strategy but it's really bearing fruit now. What's amazing is Yao's skills he's developing in the post. He is demonstrating an assortment of moves that are really amazing. Like John Lopez was mentioning on 610 this AM Yao is dominating not by pure brute force alone but by an all-around game. Think about what he's showing in the low-block: (a) brute force to pound it in, (b) hook shot from the left block OR right block, (c) baseline spin from either side, (d) fadeway from either side, (e) up-and-under move to the basket. That's amazing. I think coaching should get 40% of the credit for this.

The other 60% goes to Yao. And I don't think we talk about this enough and give him enough credit for his own transformation. JVG and the staff have gotten a lot of the spotlight by us as fans and deserverdly so.

However to me the real story behind this is not that JVG had a vision of Yao utilized the way he is, the real story often overlooked is Yao's ability to evolve and adapt his game. Think about the transformation he has gone through- from a more of a midrange face-up bigman, to a post-up low-block beast. As much as coaching has guided that the majority of the credit belongs to Yao and his ability to re-make himself.

To me that's one of the characteristics that separates the good from the all time greats. We all knew that Yao had skills. Stevie Francis has skills too. The difference is that Yao has shown that he can add to his skills and adapt his gameplay. And that's one of the really exciting things about Yao is that he's proven that he can shape and will continue to develop his all around game. You can't teach adaptability.

Yao deserves a lot more credit for his passion, dedication, and just plain ability to transform his game.

So summarizing my take-
40% is teaching/guiding/coaching, 60% is ability/talent/adaptability

 

You can teach shooting as long as the player has soft hands and loose wrists.

 

Can you teach Shaq how to shoot free throws?

Can you teach Francis how to run the fast break?

 

Teaching is easy. It's the learning that's hard.

 

Passing? - NO
Shooting? - can improve but not from Ryan to Allen, Ray.....
Dribbling? - pratice, pratice, pratice. The shorter, the better.....

 

Rebounding is mostly instinct I think or at least 90%...you can either be a rebound machine and jump/hustle for every rebound like Marion or have great instincts in timing the ball Rodman but then again maybe you can teach timing, you just can't teach the hustle and get off your lazy ass in the game to get a rebound.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself! Very well stated.

 

Passing can be taught. There are various techniques involved in the different types of passes. For example, there are "spins" you can put on bounce passes to make them more effective. You can also teach how to pass according to the situation, your position and your teammates position.

Everything in any sport can be taught except for physical traits (height, athleticism, etc.) You can even teach "speed" by identifying how a particular athlete uses his body when moving.

Everything in any sport can be learned as long as the person is physically and mentally capable of handling the instruction.

Unfortunately not everyone has the physical/mental/emotional characteristics to apply what has been taught.

 

Genetics can't be taught

Any type of skills can be.
The better the genetic makeup, the better the player when the skills improve.

That's why many coaches in all sports for that matter will pick the kid with the most athletic ability, because they feel they can teach the skills.

As in anything else the more you study and practice the better the skill will become. And that's a big if the skill is taught and practiced correctly.

The higher the level of play in any sport the more SKILL level will differentiate the good player from the poor because the genetic differences are miniscule compared to the other players competing in that sport or position.

 

I think the vast majority of players can certainly improve if they swallow their pride and allow themselves to be taught different ways. For example, Shaq may be able to improve his FT shooting by adopting Ricky Barry's underhand approach, but he probably thinks he'd look silly if he tried this.

Too many players get by on their incredible athleticism for too many years and may not know "how" to learn actual techniques. They think they are good enough and don't realize how much better they could be.

Look at Hakeem. He was a poor shooter coming out of college, yet he worked with the coaches and became a deadly shooter within his range and improved his FT shooting markedly.

Michael Jordan became a better player in the NBA. He became a three point threat and a better shooter.

 

Passing can be taught. Court vision can't.
Shooting form can be taught. Shooting touch can't.
Positioning and leverage for rebounds can be taught. Timing and explosiveness can't.
How to run a fastbreak can be taught. Thinking fast on the break can't.

 

Coach Easy, you are correct and well said. You might also add that hand to eye coordination so critical in shooting can't be taught. You can work on release, arc, position of elbow, and so on, but, yes, touch, vision, and coordination can't be taught. As a fan it is hard to tell exactly why our current supporting cast are such inconsistent shooters. Age is Wesley's enemy, but Bogans and Head may have potential for development. Just a guess. Alston has very poor shooting technique and seems to lack concentration. Interestingly, TMac's shooting arc is so flat that he has almost zero margin for error. That is why he is either "on" or "off." He needs to drive more.

 

Agreed...the rest of the season should be dedicated to Yao honing these 'other' moves...like the baseline spin from the right block...he attempted this last game and almost pulled it off. He needs to develop a better feel for it...if he does, post defenders will be absolutely clueless as to what to do with Yao..."If I push too hard, he spins baseline where I have no help...if I push and force middle, he wheels in for an easy hook, if I don't push hard enough, he makes me look like a 'lil bit&&ch and backs me down right under the basket."

 

I'm sorry to say your wrong. Any skill can be taught and improved on. Its the want to or the work ethic you put into a particular skill that will in the long run show how much improvement you make.

No 2 players are alike. So every skill has to be learned. Some are naturally better at one thing or another but what good coaching does is show you the correct way to do things. It is then up to the individual player to work at that skill until they at some point become an expert at it.

An example of that is someone with an IQ of say 130 and another of 120. Both above average individuals. Now as an example the 130 person doesn't work at his advantage because in school everything comes extremely easy to them. While the 120 person although well above average has to work at everything he does to get by in the high level classes. When they come together at some point and the studies become difficult for both, it will most likely be the 120 IQ that moves on because they have had to and are used to working to keep their grades. While the 130 person never having to study before really struggles because they don't know how.

A basketball example would be Francis since I think your insinuating him in your post and Olajuwon. Olajuwon even though an equal in athletic ability did not grow up with the game, so he had to work extremely hard at everything and as time grew his work ethic kept him improving on things even after he was in the league awhile. While Francis appears to be the 130 IQ person because his athletic ability always made it easy for him, now that he's with his peers, he appears to have trouble because he doesn't have the same ability to work on his weaknesses. As always IMHO.

 

Actually, I've seen T-Mac put up a few beautifully arched rainbows. They look so good sometimes that you know its going in even before it reaches midair. The guy is so talented and complete as a basketball player, it's just amazing. It's just that more often he uses his height and ability to elevate above opposing defenders so well that the point at which he releases the shot is almost level with the rim (or a bit higher), so the arc looks really flat. That happens because he's using his elevating ability to negate whatever chance the defender has at altering/contesting the shot, making it a high percentage shot for him. More often when he's wide open you'll see him put up some beautiful rainbows (and he rarely misses when he's wide open. RARELY).

 

You can teach a guy how to combine that physical ability with boxing out and getting a low base for leverage to shield off the basket. There is some instinct in being able to follow the ball. But you can teach positioning and you can train players to move for position while the ball is in the air instead of doing what they are prone to do if not trained, that is to stand in place where they are and watch the trajectory of the shot instead of glancing at the floor to see where the opponent is, where your teammates are, and taking a snapshot in your head of that. Then you look back at the ball, and your mind will then similate that information that will allow you to take up the best position under the basket that will give your team the best chance of getting the board.

Those things can be taught if you have a player that has some brains but not necessarily the most athleticism.

By the same token, you can't teach a whole lot to a player that doesn't have any intelligence to comprehend anything. We've all played with one of those guys that could pick dimes off the top of the backboard but you knew all you had to do was throw a couple fakes on him and he'd jump out of his shoes allowing you to lay the ball in the basket with both your feet planted on the floor.

And just like LB and Marbury, you can't teach a player anything if you have failed in opening up his mind to consider what you are saying. The player may be a genius but if the coach doesn't connect with that player and get the player on his side, get the player to buy into his system and his way of doing things, he won't be able to accomplish much with that player no matter how smart the player is.

While it is probably too late to make Ryan Bowen into a Ray Allen type shooter, a shooting coach could work with Bowen over the course of one summer and improve his jump shot to an adequate level. Bowen won't accomplish that by himself just taking jump shots every day. He needs a coach that will sit down with him and go through film of his shot, and break down what he is doing wrong. (1. not on the balls of his feet, too herky jerky, and doesn't properly finger the basketball and release) Then the coach could take him to the floor and work on each component of his shot, until he trained his muscles to respond properly. Then you take it to the next level with what kind of shot you want him to be able to shoot. In Ryan's case, it's the spot up jumper. After his mechanics are worked out, you put him in drills where he is moving around the perimeter and receiving the ball and shooting it in rhythm. If he were able to accomplish all that in one summer, and that is doable in one summer, he would be an acceptable jump shooter and not a detriment to his team when he is on the floor. Then the next summer you may take it to the next level by making his reportoire 1000 spot up shots per day, and then start adding the spot up, fake, single dribble and shot.

Ryan Bowen's shot could be improved some at least. By the same token, if Ryan had had the proper coaching and had spent the time on his game in his young life that Ray has spent on his, if Ryan had shot the number of shots that Ray had shot....he would be close to the shooter that Ray has become.